Bill Text: IL SJR0005 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Designates the portion of Illinois Route 3 between mile marker 20 and mile marker 22, near Rockwood, as the "1LT James F. Claussen Memorial Highway".
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2023-01-20 - Referred to Assignments [SJR0005 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2023-SJR0005-Introduced.html
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1 | SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
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2 | WHEREAS, It is appropriate to remember the many sacrifices | ||||||
3 | and contributions to the cause of freedom made by the | ||||||
4 | outstanding men and women who served in the U.S. Armed Forces; | ||||||
5 | and
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6 | WHEREAS, First Lieutenant James F. Claussen was born to | ||||||
7 | Ernest and Stella Claussen on Christmas Day in 1921; at the | ||||||
8 | time, the family lived on a small farm near Jacob; and
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9 | WHEREAS, 1LT Claussen voluntarily enlisted in the U.S. | ||||||
10 | Army in June of 1940 with the goal of becoming a paratrooper; | ||||||
11 | he did not meet the Army's size requirements to become a | ||||||
12 | paratrooper and redirected his efforts to becoming a pilot; | ||||||
13 | and
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14 | WHEREAS, From June of 1943 until his death in March of | ||||||
15 | 1945, 1LT Claussen flew seven combat missions over Sicily, | ||||||
16 | France, Holland, and Germany; and
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17 | WHEREAS, On March 24, 1945, 1LT Claussen was killed in | ||||||
18 | action while taking part in Operation Varsity; while his three | ||||||
19 | year commitment when enlisting had ended, he volunteered to | ||||||
20 | fly the day he was killed in action; his C-46 Commando was last | ||||||
21 | seen with its left engine on fire heading back across the Rhine |
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1 | River after successfully dropping all of its paratroopers; and
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2 | WHEREAS, 1LT Claussen was the recipient of the Air Medal, | ||||||
3 | the American Defense Service Medal, and the Good Conduct | ||||||
4 | Medal; he was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart; | ||||||
5 | therefore, be it
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6 | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL | ||||||
7 | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF | ||||||
8 | REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that we designate the | ||||||
9 | portion of Illinois Route 3 between mile marker 20 and mile | ||||||
10 | marker 22, near Rockwood, as the "1LT James F. Claussen | ||||||
11 | Memorial Highway"; and be it further
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12 | RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Transportation | ||||||
13 | is requested to erect at suitable locations, consistent with | ||||||
14 | State and federal regulations, appropriate plaques or signs | ||||||
15 | giving notice of the name of "1LT James F. Claussen Memorial | ||||||
16 | Highway"; and be it further
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17 | RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be | ||||||
18 | presented to the Secretary of Transportation and the family of | ||||||
19 | 1LT Claussen.
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